Improvement in water-meters



SSheets-SheetL A. R. ARNOLD.

WATEPWNMMER.l No. 190,536, Patented May 8,1877.

M/ness @nzfn N. PETERS, PHOTDUTHOGHAFHER, WASHINGTON. ,Dv C.

BSheets-Sheet 2. A. R. ARNOLD.

WATER-METER.

Patented May 8,1877.

N.PETERS. FHQTOLITHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTQN. I2` C.

, SSheetS-'Sheet 3. A. R. ARNOLD. v

WATER-METER# No. 190,535l Patented May 8,1877.

MPEIERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

ANDREW R. ARNOLD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190,536, dated May 8. 1877; application filed September 30, 1876.

To al L whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW R. ARNOLD, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain Improvement in Water-Meters, of which the following is a specilication My invention consists in constructing a water-meter so lthat it shall have the same press-v ure in it that is found in the water in the snpply-pipes, and deliver the water into the service-pipe at the same pressure, and retain an equilibrium under all changes by a combination of mechanism giving a compensating atmospheric pressure.

The machine is automatic, and records upon dials the amount of water used.

Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2is asectional elevation on the line of a' no. Fig. 3isa sectional view of a. modification of one of the parts. Figs. 4. and 5 are detailed views. Fig. 6 is a front View of the machine, showing the dials;- and Fig. 7 is a diminished view of the rear outside of the machine.

The particular form of the machine is not a matter of invention, and a description of the parts of the machine in their working relations will enable any one skilled in manufacture toY construct and use the same.

The machine is arranged for use by putting the diaphragm in place. This is madev of a sheet ot' elastic rubber, A, and the base B composed of two metal plates` screwed together, binding the rubber.

With 4these plates is connected a rod, a, at each end, which passes down through a guideplate, c, and two sets of spiral springs, C, resting on, and recessed in, a cross-plate, D, connected with the plate c. The edges of the rubber extend out and rest on the top of the case E of the meter, and the coverF` screwed down upon the case holds the rubber in position; and the diaphragm is arranged to operate between its position as shown in Fig. 2, its lowest position, and the dotted lines d, indicating its position under the cover.

When the diaphragm is in position, and the cover screwed down, the'stopple G in the cover is removed, and the chamber above the diaphragm is iilled full of water, and the stopple is restored, and the cock H in the pipe I is closed.

llow, will be equal. pipe n may now be opened for the draft of The chamberl J below the diaphragm is then filled with air pumped in through the pipe K, and water admitted from the supplypipe L until there is an equal pressure upon both at the water-line e.

The screw-vent m at the connection of the pipes I and cover and the cock H are slightly opened to allow the escape of the air in the `pipe I driven out by the water passing up the pipe. The vent is then closed, and the cock left wholly open, and then there will be afree connection between the water above and be- -low the diaphragm,and thepressure in all the pa-rts, on air and water above and be- A faucet in the servicewater for use. The opening of the faucet reduces the pressure of water in the service-pipe 'and the pipe I, and by that means a current of water is secured in all the pipes.

To illustrate: if the pressure by the opening of the faucet be diminished ten pounds destroys the equilibrium of pressures, andY causes the atmosphere under the diaphragm to raise it until the equilibrium is again restored, thus relieving the pressure of the atmosphere on the water below the samev amount of pounds, causing the equilibrium lto be restored with the ten pounds less while the water is running through the meter. The same inuence extending out into the supply-pipe causes the water to continue to flow. The rule will be found to be correct, and the results relatively the same, whether a small or large draft of water is taken from the meter. If the faucet be closed by the movement of the water the pressure at that point is at first restored to an excessive degree; but instantaneously there returns a wave or pressure back into the main, restrained from its too rapid backward ow by the dam g, and flows up the pipe I to the chamber above the diaphragm, and restores all the pressure on the water and air to its former pressure. The: spiral springs C have a twofold oiiice: first, to modify and equalize the action of the diaphragm when itrises or fallsup to the line O the springs push, above that they pull,

and thus prevent a too sudden movement or striking above or below; secondfthe weight of the base-plates B, including the guide-rods c, is equal to the weight of the water that might be contained in the air-chamber under4 the diaphragm when at the line 0, and above the water-line e, less .the area of half the distance between the inside edges ot' the base= plates and the walls of the case on all its sides. v

The springs, in the settling down of this base, lift the same amount as the weight of the water between the line O and the lowest rubber-line; and above the line 0 they draw down equal to the amount of water displaced by the rise of' the diaphragm above the line O, and by the weight of these plates and rods, and the springs, an equilibrium of pressures is preserved.

When the water is let intothe meter it lil'ts the float-valve Q oft' from its seat, and gives it a free action in the chamber between the guard-posts l. inner end ot' the supply-pipe L, where it dis` charges the water into the meter; and if' by any means the supply of water is cut oli', when the water in the meter falls to a'certain predetermined depth in front of the wheel, this valve seats itself on its metallic seat 2, and arrests the escape of water and retains the compressed air within the machine, as there will be from one and onefourth to one and onehalf inch of water over the seat of the valve; and the atmospheric pressure will keep the valve resting upouthe seat.

The outlet-valve R, as shown in Fig. 2, is similar in its construction and oce to the one just described, and provides a guard against drawing ofi' the water from the meter when the inlet-valve is closed, or from any cause the water at the foot of the wheel falls to a predetermined depth. y

In some cases it may occur that the valve R gets stuck down on its seat and would not rise when the water was restored to the meter. To provide for that liability I place on the opposite ends of the lever S a float, V, and vacuum-valve W. When the water in the meter settles the float V Will settle, and,

by the lever, carry up the valve W and closethe vacuum-chamber. This chamberis in the end of piston 4, which works in a case, 5. Ihis case and piston are provided each with an inlet-aperture, 6 5 and when the float V is down the piston 4 is carried up, so that the apertures in the case and piston do not agree, and the dow of water is cut o', and a vacuum is produced, or will be when the faucet is opened, or the water by leakage escapes from this chamber. But when the water is restored to the meter and raises the valve Q, it also raises the tloat V, which, through the lever, depresses the piston 4 and opens the vacuumchamber, and the Water flowing in passes down into the outlet-chamber n and up under the valve R, and lifts it, if it `had become stuck down, so that the ordinary rise of walhe seat of this valve is the,

ter in the meter would not raise it.. A collar, 8, inclosesthe case. (Shown in detail in Fig.' 3.) sponding to the hole in the case and piston,

4and a notch, r, in which it slides on a pin, in

a lateral motion, as it is turned by the pin r. `The use of .this collar-is to graduate the flow of water through this piston' by closing the hole in it more or less. .The ow of water ordinarily through this piston is to assist in 41, inthe sides, corresponding to holes in the case, which are shown in a cross-section, (sec Fig. 4,) through which the water from the meter flows out into the interior of the hollow piston 21, and out the hole l2 into the serviee-pipe n. -Y

The jam-nuts 7 on the lever 5 are to balance 'the piston part of this valve R', and make it really a floatvalve.

A screw, 61, sets down into the case 71, or bottom ofthe meter, having a cylindrical hole .through vits entire length, making connection =with the passage 81, which connects with the chamber 91 below the piston 21; and when the water is supplied to the meter it passes down Athrough the hole in the screw 61, and up unjder the piston 21, and assists the cork, as a.

counterbalancing pressure, to raise it up until -the three holes in the piston and case agree, and the water will flow into the piston through these holes; and as a matter ofcourse, if the -water falls in the meter, as before shown, and the valve Q is seated., the valve R will also rvsettle down until the lower end of the piston finds a scat at the bottom ot' its chamber, and ethe holes 41 will be closed by disconnection, fand the outow ot' the water will be prevented.

In this view (Fig. 3) the screw 61 is shown at the left of the valve R', that it may be displayed. It is no t material on which side it is placed. t

It', by any means, the draft is too rapid for the supply, caused by the opening of faucets jor by leakage, the fall of water at the foot of Ethe wheel around the valve R' will cause the @valve to settle down, so that the openings 41 and 12 will close, or partially so, to prevent any derangement of the meter. of the water through the meter it catches into buckets A of the wheel B', tilling them full, and turns it for registering. i The blades S may be set at any desired angle from the center.

On the end of the shaft C of the wheel is a worm-gear, D', which communicates motion to the gear E, and that, in turn, to the gear This collar has a hole through it corre- In the flowv E', in the hub of which is a pinion, 0'., working into the face-gear F', on the shaft of which is an index-hand, 72,-t0 register on dial G', (see Fig. 6,) registering from one to one hundred gallons. On this shaft is a one-tooth gear, 32, which, when the shaft turns once around, catches into the gear 42 and moves it one point, which makes a register on dial H' A them from moving only as they are acted upon by the one-tooth gears 32.

The bottom of the buckets, under the Vblades or partitions, is provided with grooves 52,

through which any air may escape as the water rushes in and lls the buckets; also, to vent the buckets as the water escapes from them.

Metal plates 62 are secured, through slotted holes, to the case at either end of the wheel B', to provide that if, in any event, there may be wear in the wheel that would allow the water to iiow past the ends of it, these plates may be set up and close the space.

The apron under the wheel, to prevent the escape of water under its periphery, is composed of a lining of soft non-oxidizing metal, 92, and in case of wear by continuous operation of the machine, the under faces ofthe boxes can be reduced, so as to allow the wheel to settle down to compensate for the wear.

The glasses 73 in the case let light into the meter to show the level of the water in relation to the water-line e, dials, &c.

I claim- 1. lIlhe combination, in a water-meter, of a series of superimposed chambers of water and air, producing an automatic equalizing pressure, whereby the loss of pressure by the flow ol' water, under any head or draft, shall be fully compensated for by the atmospheric pressure, and a constant uniformity of actionk shall be produced, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The case E, having the removable cover F, the supply-opening L, service-opening n,

air-opening K, and water-line gage e, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The cover F, having the hole with its stopple G, and connection with the pipe I, and fitted to be screwed down on the top of the case, binding the rubber edges A of the diaphragm, thus forming above the diaphragm close water-chamber, substantially as speci- 4. The diaphragm composed of rubber A and plates B, suspended by its edges between the cover and the top of the case, and steadied and graduated in its action by the rods a X and spiral springs C, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The chamber J, formed by the sides and bottom of the case, and by the diaphragm containing the operating mechanism, and provided with the water-supply pipe Land the air-supply pipe K, by which it is filled with an equalizing pressure of water and air, .in combination with the water-chamber above the diaphragm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The pipe I, forming a connection, by the service-pipe a, with the lower part of the chamber J that part containing water-and,

through the cover F, with the chamber below it, thus establishing a free communication between the said chambers, toassist in equalizing the pressures upon the meter, and having the cock H and vent-screw m, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The inlet loat-valve Q, theoutlet iioatvalve R, or its equivalent, and the balancepressure float-valve R', in combination with the supply-pipe L and service-pipe a, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. In combination with the valve B, the vacuum-valve w, operated by the iioat v through the lever S, substantially as set forth, and for the purposes specified.

9. The wheel B', having the buckets A'- with the air-grooves 52, and provided with the adjustableplates 62, and having, in connection with its shafts C', an operating mechanism for registering the amount of water drawn, substantially as specified. n

ANDREW B. ARNOLD.

Witnesses: Y n

Hennen HARRIS, y J oHN C. TUNBRIDGE. 

